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Ambulances arrive late to one in three Wiltshire emergencies

Wiltshire Ambulances

AMBULANCES in Wiltshire are failing to reach a third of critically ill emergency patients on time.

Figures from South West Ambulance Service Trust (SWAST) show response times in Wiltshire are among the worst in the region.

Of the 12 areas covered by SWAST, only South Gloucestershire was worse at reaching Red 1 calls, such as heart attacks, within eight minutes.

In 2014/15, ambulances in Wiltshire only reached two thirds (66 per cent) of such cases within this target.

Although this was up from just 59 per cent the year before, it was still “very disappointing” according to the trust’s own assessment. It aims to reach three quarters of patients within the eight minutes.

The average for the region was much higher, at just under 75 per cent.

Meanwhile, Dorset ambulances hit their Red 1 targets 84 per cent of the time.

For Red 2 calls, like strokes, Wiltshire was the worst performing area in the region for the second year running, reaching only 62 per cent within eight minutes. The average for the region was 71 per cent.

And for Red 19 calls (when patients need a fully equipped ambulance rather than an ambulance car) Wiltshire was again the worst performing area in the SWAST region, and the only one below 90 per cent.
In these cases, ambulances must arrive at 95 per cent of cases within 19 minutes.

Paul Birkett-Wendes, head of operations for SWAST’s northern zone (covering Wiltshire, Gloucestershire and Bristol) said the eight-minute targets were far more challenging in rural areas than in urban ones.

And he said response times were just one aspect of the service SWAST delivered, with a huge focus on “clinical outcomes” and the way paramedics treat people at the scene.

Mr Birkett-Wendes said SWAST was the best in the country at treating people at home, less than half its patients are taken to accident and emergency departments.

“It’s much better for patients and much better for the health system,” he said.

“If you are taking everyone to A&E it would cause quite significant problems.”

And he said the targets were strict – “If you are late by one second, you fail. We normally find it’s within about nine minutes or so.”

More demand for ambulances – particularly from the NHS 111 phone line – is “almost outstripping our ability to keep up,” he said.

SWAST has not cut frontline ambulances and has hired more staff, despite a national paramedic shortage.

And it is tackling the response-times problem by increasing the role of community first responders and working more closely with the fire service.

“We are striving to improve on those response times. It is one aspect of what we do, and we are very proud of our clinical record with patients,” said Mr Birkett-Wendes. “It is absolutely one of our prime focus areas.”

Despite these efforts, the response times have worsened in Wiltshire over the past year.

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Ambulance chairman in NHS 111 calls row ‘told to go’

Ambulance chairman in NHS 111 calls row ‘told to go’

South East Coast Ambulance
Image copyright SECAMB
Image caption Secamb gave itself an extra 10 minutes to deal with some potentially life-threatening calls

The chairman of the scandal-hit South East Coast Ambulance Service (Secamb), Tony Thorne, has been told to leave his post, the BBC understands.

The trust is being investigated after it dodged national response targets in order to take extra time to assess some seriously-ill patients.

Health regulator Monitor has reportedly told the chairman to go, while the position of the chief executive Paul Sutton is still unclear.

Monitor has denied this is the case.

It said in a statement: “As part of our ongoing regulatory action, we asked South East Coast Ambulance NHS Foundation Trust to commission a detailed review of the Red 3 project, including the way decisions were made about it.

 “This review is yet to be published. We will provide an update on our regulatory response in due course.”

A Secamb spokesman said: “It is not appropriate for the trust to comment on the position of any individuals at this stage.”

Last October it emerged Secamb, which covers Kent, Surrey, Sussex and North East Hampshire, delayed sending help for certain 111 calls, transferring them instead to the 999 system as part of a pilot project.

It did this to re-assess what type of advice or treatment patients needed and whether an ambulance was really required.

The trust defended the project but acknowledged the “serious findings”.

How call handling was changed

Secamb provides NHS 111 services across the region and responds to 999 calls.

Some 111 calls were transferred to the 999 system to give Secamb more time for more urgent calls.

The calls affected were in the second most serious category – Category A Red 2 – which covers conditions like strokes or fits but which are less critical than where people are non responsive.

Under NHS rules, calls designated as life-threatening are supposed to receive an ambulance response within eight minutes.

The trust allowed itself an extra 10 minutes to deal with some calls by “re-triaging” patients in the 999 system.

At the time, health regulator Monitor said the trust had not fully considered patient safety.

It said the project was “poorly handled” and there were “reasonable grounds to suspect that the trust is in breach of its licence.”

It added a condition to Secamb’s licence, so that if insufficient progress was made the leadership team could be changed.

Speaking on Tuesday, Sussex Labour MP Peter Kyle said: “I called yesterday for the regulators to step in and get a grip of the governance of Secamb. It looks today that it has.

“If the chair has been removed then that is not surprising to me. There was a problem at the very top of the organisation and that problem was about governance and the way that the organisation was scrutinised, challenged and supported.”

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Ex ambulance driver avoids jail after road rage attack

Essex Ambulance

An organ transplant driver said to have post-traumatic stress after being assaulted at work launched a road rage attack on an ambulance driver.

Former ambulance driver Michael Kearns, 46, cut up an ambulance on its way to hospital in Chelmsford, Essex.

He pulled his car in front of the vehicle and then hit the driver, the city’s crown court heard.

Kearns denied dangerous driving and assault, but was found guilty and given a nine-month suspended sentence.

Judge Patricia Lynch banned Kearns from driving for a year.

She also ordered Kearns, of Broomfield, Chelmsford, to complete unpaid community work.

Attacked ‘several times’

The court heard he struck a glancing blow and his victim was not badly hurt.

Tom Nicholson Pratt, mitigating for Kearns, said he had suffered from post-traumatic stress after being attacked several times while working as an ambulance driver.

“He only threw one punch which connected – the driver referred to it glancing off his cheek,” he said.

Kearns cared for his sick mother and worked as a driver transporting organs for transplant, he said.

Previous conviction

Prosecutor Alex Sutter-Green told the court there was an elderly patient in the back of the vehicle and a paramedic travelling in the ambulance witnessed the attack.

“The defendant got out, opened the door and punched the victim,” he said.

The court heard Kearns had a previous assault conviction following a similar incident in 2013.

Judge Lynch said: “You have led an otherwise good and industrious life.

“The post-traumatic stress from your previous work helps explain why an otherwise sensible and sane person commits offences such as this.

“It is a very serious matter and it is just not acceptable.”

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North East Ambulance Service staff among the UK’s most outstanding

NIAS ambulances

An operational manager and a call handler from North East Ambulance Service (NEAS) were recognised nationally last night (9 February) at the annual Ambulance Leadership Forum (ALF) in Leicestershire.

The Association of Ambulance Service Chief Executives’ gala awards applaud excellence across the UK ambulance service sector in 10 categories.

NEAS 111 operator Craig Foster, of Gateshead, joined the service three years ago and was highlighted as the UK’s most outstanding control services employee.

He was quickly followed by operations manager Karen Gardner from Cramlington, who joined the service 30 years ago, as the UK’s most outstanding manager at Band 5-8a.

Both were put forward for the awards having been category winners at the Trust’s annual Above and Beyond the Call of Duty (ABCD) Awards in October 2015.

Chief Executive of NEAS, Yvonne Ormston, said: “We are enormously proud of Karen and Craig’s achievements. They represent the best in ambulance services across the country and are great ambassadors for the North East and our wider family at North East Ambulance Service.”

Cited during the ceremony as a ‘fantastic role model’, Craig is a dedicated call handler with a positive attitude who firmly believes that if he is doing what he should be, he will make a difference to more and more patients.

Passionate about what he does, Craig is described by his team leader as having a ‘caring and compassionate nature’ who always makes his patients the priority. This year he has had two successful CPR calls on infants from 111 callers, which is considered to be probably the best kind of patient experience.

Craig said: “This award has come completely out of the blue. Just to be nominated for is an honour but to win is amazing. This is for my team really. I have some fantastic colleagues in the Contact Centre at North East Ambulance Service.”

NEAS’s second winner, Karen, climbed the ranks from ambulance cadet to her current role as operations manager for north division over her 30 years of service.

Over the past 12 months, Karen has been instrumental in the recruitment, training and implementation of over 50 Emergency Care Clinical Managers at NEAS to improve leadership across the organisation.

Always with good humour and a smile on her face, Karen has single handed prepared everything from assessment materials to training courses, that she then went on to deliver, whilst also juggling the demands of changing roles and staff shortages.

She is described by colleagues as a fantastic example of someone who demonstrates every day to her staff that she and the organisation do care.

Karen said: “It’s lovely to be recognised after such a long time with the organisation. I just feel like I’m doing my job but the fact that I’ve been able to make a difference for my staff means more to me than anything.”

Ms Ormston added: “As a result of the work Karen has delivered, we are now far better supporting our staff with their welfare, their development and, ultimately, their patient care.”

Association of Ambulance Chief Executives (AACE) Managing Director Martin Flaherty OBE said: “The Outstanding Service Awards presented each year at the Ambulance Leadership Forum are a fantastic way to recognise and commend ambulance service employees from across England who have gone above and beyond the call of duty in their day-to-day roles.

“This year’s nominations were of a particularly high standard and the eventual winners were chosen for their outstanding contributions to the ambulance service and the patients it serves.”

North East Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust (NEAS) covers 3,200 square miles across the North East region. It employs more than 2,500 staff and serves a population of 2.7 million people by handling all NHS 111 and 999 calls for the region, operating patient transport and ambulance response services, delivering training for communities and commercial audiences and providing medical support cover at events.

In 2014/15 NEAS answered 1.107 million emergency 999 and NHS 111 calls, responded to 302,687 incidents that resulted in a patient being taken to hospital, treated and discharged 18,144 patients with telephone advice and treated and discharged 81,990 patients at home. In the same year, emergency care crews reached 134,745 incidents within the national target of 8 minutes.

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Paramedics in Greater Manchester are being assaulted almost every day

Paramedics in Greater Manchester are being assaulted almost every day, shocking figures have revealed.

Data shows there have been more than 1,000 verbal and physical attacks on North West Ambulance Service (NWAS) staff in the region since April 2012.

It means that paramedics, emergency medical technicians (EMTs), urgent care assistants, and even call handlers are being subjected to violent and threatening behaviour on an almost daily basis.

Some have been left with broken bones, cuts, bruises, needle wounds and even bites as a result of assaults which have taken place in public places, hospitals, private residences and care homes.

There were more than two dozen incidents where staff were racially abused or sexually assaulted.

In some cases, offenders have been prosecuted and put behind bars for the attacks.

Manchester Crown Court

According to the data, obtained through a Freedom of Information request by the M.E.N, a person was sentenced to 16 weeks in jail by magistrates in Manchester for biting a student paramedic inside an emergency vehicle in March 2015.

In September 2013, two female EMTs were attacked in a private dwelling, resulting in broken bones. The offender was locked up for a total of 19 months.

A person who stuck a needle into a paramedic in a public place in March 2014 received a community order and was forced to pay their victim compensation.

The figures also show that some staff have been threatened with weapons including knives.

Ambulances outside North Manchester General Hospital

Ambulance crews danger addresses almost triple in two years

A spokesman for NWAS said it’s disgraceful that people who are working to save lives are subjected to such unprovoked abuse.

He said: “The trust takes a zero tolerance approach to any form of abuse and we will always support our staff to report any violence or aggression towards them and encourage them to press charges to ensure appropriate action is taken against the perpetrator.

“Attacks on our crews can have a major effect, not only on the trust’s resources, but in the long term, as it can impact on their personal and professional life and even play a part in them considering leaving the job and this is the last thing we would want.

Life-saving role

“Attacks can come from patients, their family and friends and even those who are not directly involved in the incidents our staff are called to attend. Every member of staff plays a vital role in serving communities by helping to deliver the highest standards of care and staff should be able to fulfill their life-saving role without abuse or fear.

“Those who commit these acts should ask themselves – if their parent, grandparent or child was waiting too long for an ambulance because an assault has taken a vehicle off the road, would they find that acceptable?”

Last week a drunken woman who kicked a paramedic in the face then urinated in an ambulance was banned from leaving the house at night by magistrates.

Sarah Bradley, 29, also shoulder-barged another crew member out of the vehicle during the incident in Rochdale.

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Belfast: Ambulance workers ‘attacked by patient’ during call-out

NIAS ambulances

NIAS ambulancesTwo paramedics have been attacked while responding to an emergency call-out in Belfast, the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service (NIAS) has said.

It happened in the Finaghy Road North area on Wednesday afternoon.

A paramedic was punched in the chest and face and his female colleague was badly shaken.

They are both now on sick leave and the ambulance is off the road for repairs. A 17-year-old who had requested the ambulance was arrested.

John McPoland from the NIAS said: “Any attacks on ambulance personnel are unacceptable and have a lasting impact on our personnel who are victims, when in fact they are simply trying to be carers.

“All these types of incidents impact on the ambulance service’s ability to respond due to a reduction in staffing and vehicles resources.”

Police said a youth was arrested on suspicion of assault occasioning actual bodily harm and criminal damage, and was later released on bail.

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The chief executive of the Ambulance Service for Nottinghamshire is to stand down

East Midlands Ambulance Service chief executive Sue Noyes

The chief executive of the Ambulance Service for Nottinghamshire is to stand down – due to “family reasons”.

The East Midlands Ambulance Service has announced that Sue Noyes will be leaving the service in June 2016.

Ms Noyes was parachuted into the service in 2013 to drive improvements – with the service called to an emergency risk summit in October of that year after health chiefs raised concerns around patient care and safety.

Paramedics and board members have since praised Ms Noyes for improving morale and taking time to listen to staff – but under the strain of increasing demand on the service performance has struggled.

Chairman Pauline Tagg said: “Sue is a valued and respected member of the EMAS team and we will be sorry to see her leave. She has made this decision for personal family reasons, and I know she has not made it lightly.

“I have asked Sue to stay on until June 2016, to continue to lead EMAS through the introduction of phase three of our quality improvement programme Better Patient Care – Driving Forward for 2016.

“Sue and I are committed to ensure that our work continues as normal over the following months. We will continue to meet and engage with staff and stakeholders across the East Midlands as we prepare our long term plan to secure EMAS’ future.”

In the coming weeks Pauline Tagg will be discussing with the EMAS Board and the NHS Trust Development Authority the future leadership arrangements for EMAS.”

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Student nurse could have survived if ambulance had arrived sooner, says coroner

London Ambulance

A student nurse who died after waiting almost five hours for an ambulance could have been saved if she had got to hospital sooner, a coroner has ruled.

Lisa Day had a heart attack after being forced to wait five hours for an ambulance (Coulter Partnership /PA Wire)

A student nurse who died after waiting almost five hours for an ambulance could have been saved if she had got to hospital sooner, a coroner has ruled.

Lisa Day, 27, a type 1 diabetic, fell severely ill on September 7 last year and spent the day vomiting blood and complaining of a headache and stomach pains, St Pancras Coroner’s Court heard.

London Ambulance Service was struggling to cope with “extreme demand” and did not have enough ambulances to send to patients, the court heard.

An ambulance eventually arrived at 10.30pm after Miss Day suffered a cardiac arrest and fell unconscious. She was taken to hospital but never regained consciousness and died five days later from a lack of oxygen to the brain stem.

Coroner Mary Hassell said: “The reason for the approximate four and a half hour delay in an ambulance attending was because demand outstripped capacity.

“If Lisa had received definitive hospital care before she suffered a cardiac arrest in the evening of September 7, the likelihood is she would have survived.”

Speaking after the inquest through tears, Miss Day’s mother Doreen Proud said: “She should still be here. What can I say? It’s every mother’s nightmare.”

She later added: “I’m never going to get over this, no mother would.

“As a mum, your kids come first. No matter what happens you are always a mum.”

Asked if she thought she had justice now, she said: “It is helping everyone else but it can’t bring my daughter back.”

Miss Day’s sister Katie Edwards said: “She was completely let down.”

The court heard that Miss Day was assessed by NHS Direct 111 call handlers as DX012, meaning that an ambulance should have been with her within 30 minutes.

But the London Ambulance Service was “remarkably busy” that day – a fact the 111 call handlers were aware of – and did not arrive until nearly five hours later.

Susan Watkins, the head of quality assurance at the London Ambulance Service who reviewed the case, said the service was struggling with “extreme demand”.

She told the inquest: “On the day in question we faced increased levels of demand for the service. Incoming calls exceeded the amount of resources we had available – operational resourcing was low.

“We were receiving over 300 calls an hour in the hour we got the call from Lisa.”

More than 200 patients were waiting for an ambulance along with Miss Day, the inquest a heard.

The ambulance service was under such strain it upgraded its operations to ‘purple-enhanced’ – the third most serious category behind ‘black’ which denotes “catastrophic” conditions.

This meant that calls were redirected to other agencies such as 111, and saw staff who usually ring back patients waiting for an ambulance are redeployed to take emergency 999 calls.

Miss Watkins said: “Significant pressures were on the service we couldn’t reach our immediately life-threatened patients.

“Obviously there was a delay to an ambulance being sent to Lisa. While we are handling calls that are being held there should be further ring backs made to the patient.

“On the day in question there were two staff allocated to ring backs for all the calls waiting and sadly there was a delay in the ring backs.

“There just weren’t the people to ring back patients, they should be done but in those circumstances of extreme capacity we redeploy handlers.”

Miss Day, who lived in Fortune Green, West Hampstead, north London, was staying at a friend’s house when she fell ill on the morning of September 7.

The day before, her glucose levels had been so high they were off the chart, the court heard.

Her friend Luke Halliburton, an acting sergeant with the Met Police, phoned NHS Direct shortly after 5pm and a request for an ambulance was formally made at 5.49pm.

By 10.15pm an ambulance had not arrived and the service made a long-delayed call back checking Miss Day’s symptoms had not changed.

Eight minutes later her friend called 999 after discovering Miss Day had lost consciousness and suffered a cardiac arrest.

She was taken to the Royal Free Hospital but never regained consciousness and died five days later from lack of oxygen to the brain caused by diabetic ketoacidosis – complications arising from her diabetes.

Miss Day had been due to start training as a nurse at City University in London days after the incident.

The coroner delivered a narrative verdict.

Speaking after the inquest, Miss Day’s brother-in-law Matthew Edwards blamed her death on the under-resourcing of London Ambulance Service.

He said: “We are extremely saddened by Lisa’s death, and the sadness will last with us now until the rest of our lives.

“We believe the death was completely avoidable and ultimately resulted from the under-resourcing of the ambulance service in London. I hope these lessons will be learnt and this case will not happen again.”

The family said they will continue to campaign to raise awareness of the dangers of diabetes.

London Ambulance Service deputy director of operations Peter McKenna said: “We would like to once again offer our sincere condolences to the family of Lisa Day.

“We will carefully consider the recommendations of the coroner’s court so we can deliver the best care to our patients.

“We have also completed our own internal investigation into the circumstances of Lisa’s death. The findings of this investigation have been presented to the Day family.”

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Donated defibrillator to make Horsham safer

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Donated defibrillator to make Horsham safer

08 February 2016

Swan Walk defibrillatorA defibrillator funded by a donation made by a cardiac arrest survivor has been installed at an entrance to Swan Walk in Horsham, West Sussex.

The life-saving equipment, which can be used by anyone if someone suffers a cardiac arrest, has been placed at the West Street entrance to Swan Walk, next to Wilkinsons. The town centre is now covered by defibrillators at the new location as well as the Carfax entrance to Swan Walk and by a third defibrillator managed by shopping centre staff.

Neil James, from Horsham, donated money for South East Coast Ambulance Service (SECAmb) to purchase a defibrillator after his life was saved by ambulance crews when he was on a fishing trip near Uckfield in August last year.

The installation of the new defibrillator was officially marked when Neil was joined by representatives from Swan Walk and Horsham Heartsafe to unveil the defibrillator on Friday (5 February).

Horsham Heartsafe was established last year to improve cardiac arrest survival rates across the Horsham District. The work includes increasing the number of Public Access Defibrillators (PADs) and CPR awareness.

Neil said: “I would like to see far more defibrillators accessible for the public to use in an event of real emergency. Without doubt these pieces of equipment save lives. In an event of real emergency the general public should not be frightened to use them. I’ve been told they are simple to use and my family have learned how to use them. By intervening and helping the person with this piece of kit you are giving them a real chance to live.”

Swan Walk Centre Manager Gill Buchanan said: “The safety of our customers is always a priority for the team at Swan Walk and the centre has for many years had on site equipment with all security officers being defibrillator trained. We are therefore delighted to be able to host the two public access defibrillators and it is especially poignant that one has been funded by a donation from someone who directly benefitted from this critical equipment.”

Horsham GP, Dr Liz Fisher, from Park Surgery added: “I’m delighted that this defibrillator has been donated by a Horsham resident after surviving a cardiac arrest and being successfully defibrillated with a similar machine. Effective CPR and early defibrillation with a defibrillator like this one doubles your chances of going home alive from hospital after having a cardiac arrest.”

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Surge in Ambulance Calls

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Surge in Ambulance Calls

Monday 8 February saw a surge in 999 calls to the North West Ambulance Service, with the Trust recording a 22 per cent rise in calls and a 24 per cent rise in life-threatening ‘red’ calls, compared to the same day last year.
The unexpected surge in calls presented the Trust with a huge challenge and did mean that some patients had to either wait longer than they should have done for a response, or those with minor conditions were told that an ambulance could not be sent.
Assistant Director of Operations, Ged Blezard comments: “We are better resourced than ever before. Last year we increased our frontline staff by 3.5 per cent and our call handling staff by 6.1 per cent. Even so, the rise in 999 calls is a challenge for us and when we have unexpectedly busy days, it is patients who suffer.
“I have worked in the ambulance service for 30 years, starting out on the frontline myself and I cannot understand why people call us for minor ailments which can be easily dealt with by either visiting a pharmacy, a GP or attending a walk in or minor injuries unit. The ambulance service is not a taxi or mobile first aid service. We are here for life threatening or potentially life-threatening emergencies and those who call us for minor complaints will be advised to use the right service.
NWAS answered 3,827 ‘999’ calls yesterday, compared with 3,115 on the same Monday last year and while most people do genuinely call for an emergency, there are still those who call for minor ailments that do not warrant an ambulance response, for example:

Lancashire – a patient called to report a pain in her hand
Cheshire – someone had cut their toenail and reported that the toe was hurting
Cumbria – cut to the forehead in the morning and called 999 at 9pm to say it might need stitches
Greater Manchester – worried because they had swallowed chewing gum
Merseyside – a caller said they had ‘had the runs’ all day

All of these callers were advised to seek advice elsewhere. Each 999 call to our control centres costs the NHS £8.47 and more importantly, can tie up a line needed by someone who urgently needs help. A fully crewed ambulance response and subsequent journey to hospital costs approximately £240.
Ged adds: “We are here to come to the aid of people who are in urgent need but are consistently called for ailments such as these which we can’t deal with. Because of the sheer volume of calls, patients who really need us are waiting longer than they should do and our crews find this deeply frustrating.
“One of our greatest achievements is the increase in our ‘hear and treat’ and ‘see and treat’ responses. Calls triaged as not life-threatening or even potentially life-threatening can be transferred to a Specialist Paramedic who can ask further questions to ascertain the level of response required or provide advice over the telephone (hear and treat). They may then request that an ambulance is despatched for treatment safely given within the home (see and treat). This prevents unnecessary journeys to busy hospitals. The number of hear and treat episodes has increased by 11 per cent with see and treats up by 20 per cent.

“Our message to the public is that if your call is not urgent, it would make more sense to seek advice elsewhere before calling.”

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Downgrading of Scottish ambulance response times is suspended

Scottish Ambulance

Downgrading of Scottish ambulance response times is suspended

Scottish Ambulance

A downgrading of ambulance response times to calls reporting falls and chest pains has been suspended by the Scottish government.
Scottish Ambulance Service management proposed that 12 kinds of call-outs would be changed from a “red” to a “yellow” response.
It meant crews would be required to attend within 19 minutes, rather than eight minutes.
Critics claimed response times were increased to meet government targets.
The ambulance service said the changes were based on “detailed clinical analysis of cases for which those codes have been applied, as well as feedback from staff in clinical practice”.
Current targets are for 75% of the most serious calls to be responded to within eight minutes, but a report last week found that only 66% of calls are seen within that time.
ambulance

The proposed changes to response categories came to light in a document published in the Daily Record.
It detailed 12 changes including the response to someone “not alert after falling” downgraded from red to yellow and calls reporting someone “not alert with chest pains” or “difficulty speaking between breaths” treated as an amber rather than red response.

The Scottish government said the proposed changes had been “paused” as Chief Medical Officer Dr Catherine Calderwood had “expressed concern”.
A government spokeswoman said: “We have been alerted to the Scottish Ambulance Service’s decision to change the classification of certain calls.
“The Chief Medical Officer has expressed concern regarding the clinical implications of this change of coding. As a result, the proposed changes to the coding have been paused by the ambulance service.
“They are reverting to their previous coding system while the Chief Medical Officer works with the team to understand the changes. This will help to ensure patient safety is maintained at all times.”
A Scottish Ambulance Service spokesman said: “The changes to 12 clinical codes, out of over 1,700 codes, were introduced to enable the fastest response to critical and immediately life-threatening conditions, such as cardiac arrest.
“The plans are based upon detailed clinical analysis of cases for which those codes have been applied, as well as feedback from staff in clinical practice and trade union partners have been fully engaged in the process.
“We have paused these plans to allow more time to review them with the Chief Medical Officer.”

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PARAMEDICS are to be taught to speak Gaelic !!

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PARAMEDICS and other ambulance staff are to be taught to speak Gaelic in a move branded a “waste of money” by critics.

By PAULA MURRAY

Scottish ambulance

SNP’s Gaelic logo plan for the Scottish ambulance service has been branded as ‘a waste of money’

The Scottish Ambulance Service (SAS) will also come up with a new bilingual logo to “demonstrate respect” for the nation’s second official language.

Some 4,400 workers and over a thousand volunteers are to be given the opportunity to pick up the old tongue as the Holyrood drive to make the language “equal to English” picks up speed.

Under the Gaelic Language (Scotland) Act 2005 all public bodies must draw up plans to create a “sustainable future for Gaelic by raising its status and profile and creating practical opportunities for its use”.

In September 2014, Government quango Bòrd na Gàidhlig issued a notice to the SAS to develop a plan and submit it for the board’s approval.

The service is now asking feedback on its draft proposal which includes additional training sessions, a new logo and signs plus a promise to hold a Gaelic capacity audit to “establish the levels of spoken, reading and writing Gaelic skills among staff”.

Staff uniforms, vehicles, buildings and even SAS stationery will also be redesigned to incorporate Gaelic, which has around 60,000 bilingual speakers across Scotland – or just over one per cent of the population.

There is also an ambition to “improve access to Gaelic interpreting” and introduce “Gaelic awareness training” alongside the actual language classes.

Last night, the Scottish Conservatives admitted they were baffled as to why energy and resources were being poured into Gaelic when there were plenty of other challenges the service has to cope with.

The party pointed out there was no mention of the costs or budgets for the Gaelic drive in the draft document and Alex Johnstone MSP added: “This is the Scottish Government’s patriotic obsession to push Gaelic at all costs rearing its head again.

“Given the challenges faced by the Scottish Ambulance Service, this can hardly be something of even remote importance.

“There is absolutely no public demand for this, and people will see it for the waste of money it is.

“The SNP should be supporting ambulance staff to improve response times and cut down on sickness absence, not playing political games with paramedics.”

Last night the Scottish Ambulance Service said they had to present a Gaelic plan under Government legislation and insisted the cost impact would be “minimum”.

A spokesman added: “The Scottish Ambulance Service is currently consulting publicly on its draft Gaelic Language plan to 2020, which sets out how it will play its part in sustaining the future of Gaelic and creating practical opportunities for its use.

“The draft plan anticipates that any changes in signage, or branding, such as on vehicles or uniforms, would only be undertaken when they are being renewed or replaced in a normal lifecycle so as not to incur additional costs.”

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Laerdal Suction Unit at discount price of £750

Laerdal Suction Unit

Laerdal Suction Unit (LSU)

We have some brand new Laerdal Suction Units (LSU) available at less than the list price. Normal Price is over £840

These units are brand new and boxed etc.

The Laerdal Suction Unit is used all over the world by countless providers as it is:

  • Prepared for emergency situations
  • Powerful and effective
  • Effective at improving patient safety

 

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Medical Equipment Servicing

Merlin ECG Machine

Medical Equipment Servicing

Wessex Medical is able to arrange for servicing and repair of much of your on board equipment including oxygen, while we specialise in the service and repair of the LIFEPAK 12 and Zoll range of defibrillators we are are by no means restricted to these models.

We aim to offer a value led service and respect the fact that owners of these older machines still have a need to maintain them at the highest standard.

We offer a field based service if the work allows it to be cost effective for you otherwise you just need to return the items to our warehouse in Wiltshire for an estimate of the costs involved.

It usually takes around 2/3 days for a service, obviously a repair can take longer if we have to wait for parts to arrive, however if you are in a hurry we will do what we can to speed things along, but we need to be able to plan it.

If you would like us to quote for a repair you can just send the unit to us at our address but please do make sure you always enclose your return details and a description of the faults.

You can also call us on 01722 410084 for a chat about your requirements.

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Paediatric First Aid Made Easy Book – £2.25

Paediatric First Aid Made Easy Book

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Paediatric First Aid Made Easy (Edition 7) has been designed to complement first aid training for parents or people who work with young children.

The book covers all the topics required by Ofsted for childminders, nursery worker and teachers.

Updated with the latest guidelines.
Designed as an easy to understand reference book and learning guide for paediatric first aid courses.
Includes most relevant childhood topics, including croup, asthma and the latest meningitis advice.
Covers adult, child and baby CPR and choking guidelines.
Simple, accurate information with lots of full colour pictures and diagrams.
Logical and easy to understand page layout
Written by an experienced paramedic and first aid instructor.
New nursery and pre-school staff will be required to undertake paediatric first aid for the first time, thanks to new government proposals.

Nursery teacher and children playing.

The new proposals will mean newly qualified staff with a childcare level 2 and 3 qualification must have an emergency paediatric first aid or full paediatric first aid certificate – a life-saving change that will add approximately 15,000 additional trained early years professionals to our nurseries and pre-schools each and every year.

Childcare and Education Minister, Sam Gyimah said:

As a parent myself, I know that every single mum and dad wants the confidence that those tasked with caring for their child have the right training should the absolute worst happen.

Today’s proposals will mean that thousands more staff will be able to respond to emergencies more quickly, making sure parents really can access the very best possible childcare choices for their families.

Not only will this help ensure children are safe while they learn, grow and develop, but it will also raise the quality and skills of the early years workforce to help them deal with day-to-day first aid issues, such as allergies and knowing when to call parents.

http://www.wessex-medical.com/shop/books/paediatric-first-aid-made-easy-book

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Is the driving test fit for purpose? Experiment shows just half of drivers would fail test again if retaken

Is the driving test fit for purpose?

03 December 2015

 

Half of experienced drivers would fail their driving test if they were asked to take it again – if the results of an experiment by Auto Express and the Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM) are anything to go by.

The industry-leading magazine and website (autoexpress.co.uk) magazine joined forces with the Britain’s biggest independent road safety charity in an exercise to see if the UK’s driving test, which marks its 80th anniversary this year, still meets its objective in allowing only the most competent drivers onto the road.

The IAM found 12 experienced drivers who were prepared to undertake a mini-driving test again and discover if they would pass their test if they had to take it in today’s conditions.

Going by the criteria of the IAM’s qualified assessors on the day, just 50% (six of the 12 who took part) would pass if they took it again today.

Auto Express revealed that 46 million people have taken their driving test since it was introduced in 1935. Back at the start the pass rate was 63% – today it has fallen to just 47%.

At the same time as the pass rate falling, the volume of vehicles has risen sharply over the years – currently there are 35 million cars registered for use on UK roads.

Failing to use mirrors enough, overspeeding and underuse of signals were typical of bad habits picked up by the IAM’s volunteers on the day of the experiment.

Of the 12 volunteers, seven had undergone advanced driver training with the IAM. Of those, five passed the mini test. And of the five who had had no advanced tuition, just one passed.

Steve Fowler, editor-in-chief of Auto Express, said: “Driving standards has always been a hot topic and the result of our tests shows that too many people just aren’t as good at driving as they think they are.

“Although technology is making driving safer than ever, the attitude and ability of the person behind the wheel is the most important element. We always encourage people to take pride in their driving and take additional training if necessary.”

Added Sarah Sillars, IAM chief executive officer: “The results of our joint experiment were very interesting. It shows that keeping your skills topped up and knowledge of the Highway Code current is crucial in making safer drivers and riders.

“Road skills cannot be allowed to lapse. Keeping your skills current through advanced tuition and other proven methods can only be a benefit to everyone who uses our roads.”

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Fingertip Pulse Oximeter – Just £19.00

Contec 50DL Pulse oximeter cheapest pulse oximeter

Contec 50DL Fingertip Pulse Oximeter

The CMS50DL Pulse Oximeter is one of the best value pulse oximeters on the market today.

CMS50DL

The product is suitable for being used in the following environments, home, hospital, community healthcare, physical care in sports (It can be used before or after doing sports, and it is not recommended to use the device during the sporting activities as the device is likely to fly off the finger and be damaged.

Main Features

■ Integrated SpO2 probe and processing display module
■ Small size、lightweight and convenient to carry
■ Simple to Operate, low power consumption ensuring long battery life
■ Clear SpO2 value display
■ Pulse rate value display, bar graph display
■ Low-voltage indication: low-voltage indicator appears before working abnormally which is due to low-voltage
■ Automatically power off function: it will automatically power off within 5 seconds if the finger is removed from the probe
■ Colours do vary

Price £19.00 plus vat

Pulse oximetry is a noninvasive method for monitoring a person’s oxygen saturation (SO2). Its reading of SpO2 (peripheral oxygen saturation) is not always identical to the reading of SaO2 (arterial oxygen saturation) from arterial blood gas analysis, but the two are correlated enough within an acceptable deviation such that the safe, convenient, noninvasive, inexpensive pulse oximetry method is valuable for measuring oxygen saturation in clinical use.

;Do You Have a Question about This Product – Ask Wessex

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Emergency services team up to save even more lives in three London boroughs

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Emergency services team up to save even more lives in three London boroughs
23 November 2015

A new initiative which sees police officers prepared to respond to life-threatening emergencies launches next week, Monday 30 November.

The scheme, piloted by London Ambulance Service and Metropolitan Police Service, will see 110 defibrillators added to police vehicles and stations across the boroughs of Enfield, Croydon and Ealing.

Chris Hartley-Sharpe, Head of First Responders at London Ambulance Service said “We’re committed to providing the best possible care for all of our patients and are always looking for new ways to improve patient outcomes.

“This initiative is a fantastic opportunity for the emergency services to work together and share resources, saving more lives across London. Police officers on the pilot boroughs will be alerted to a potential cardiac arrest alongside our ambulance crews, which means that if they are in a closer proximity, they can respond first.

“We know that around 32 per cent of people survive a cardiac arrest in a public place but, where there is a defibrillator and someone trained to use it, the chance of survival can increase to 80 per cent. The more people available to respond to these types of incidents, the better.”

The pilot is the latest in a number of initiatives supported by the London Ambulance Service to increase cardiac arrest survival rates in the Capital. Last year, the ambulance service launched a campaign which saw over 1,000 accredited defibrillators added to shops, gyms and businesses across London.

More recently, the Service embarked on an exciting new partnership with the internationally acclaimed GoodSAM app, in which clinically trained ambulance staff and members of the public trained to an approved standard are able to sign up as volunteers to respond to life-threatening emergency calls, including cardiac arrests.

Assistant Commissioner Martin Hewitt from Metropolitan Police Service said: “We are delighted to be working in partnership with the London Ambulance Service across the boroughs of Ealing, Croydon and Enfield. Equipping our response team vehicles and station offices with this essential life saving equipment will enable over 725 officers to be available to respond to these critical life or death emergency calls. ”

During the pilot, which will run between December 2015 and May 2016, it’s thought that police officers will be able to respond to 12-13 potential cardiac arrests every week, as part of a dual response with London Ambulance Service.

 

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Ambulance Control Centres – Scottish Ambulance Service

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Ambulance Control Centres

The Scottish Ambulance Service operates with three Ambulance Control Centres (ACC) in Inverness, Cardonald and South Queensferry. The Service has operated with three centres since 2004 when as part of a £22 million modernisation programme that introduced clinical triage and categorisation of 999 calls to ensure that those with most need receive the fastest response.

The three ACCs handle over 800,000 calls every year and dispatch ambulances to over 650,000 emergencies and requests from doctors to transfer patients to hospital.

Patient Transport Service teams are also based in the ACCs and manage requests from patients who have a medical need for transport to their hospital appointments. There are over 1 million journeys of this type every year.

There has been continued investment in the three Ambulance Control Centres in the ten years since the move to a prioritised response to 999 calls. They operate with state of the art mapping technology that shows a caller’s location as soon as the call is answered.  Satellite tracking systems display ambulance availability in real time. The system shows dispatchers the nearest available ambulances, along with time and distance information that takes account of traffic congestion that occurs at different times of day.

Since the introduction of clinical triage and categorisation of calls ten years ago, the average response time for potential life threatening incidents has reduced from 8.6 minutes to 6.5 minutes. Callers are kept on the line and given medical advice on what to do to help the patient while the ambulance is on its way. Many more lives have been saved as a result.

What happens when I call 999?

The 999 operator will ask you which service you require.  Your call will automatically be routed to the Ambulance Control Centre (ACC) that handles calls for your region. If there are unusually high spikes in call volumes, your call will automatically be routed to one of the other two ACCs. The technology in control rooms is seamless so that any of the three ACCs in Scotland can answer and triage your call and dispatch an ambulance to you, wherever you are.

Once you are put through to an ambulance call taker they will ask you for location details to confirm the information displayed on mapping systems. They will then ask a series of questions to establish the clinical severity of the call and categorise it for the most appropriate response. While this is happening, the dispatcher can see your location and will be tasking the nearest available ambulance. This happens simultaneously so that there is no delay in dispatching an ambulance. If the triage establishes that the call is not an emergency or does not require an ambulance response, the dispatcher may stand down the ambulance.

The questions that you are asked will help to establish the category of call which could be:

Category A – potentially immediately life threatening
Category B – serious but not life threatening
Category C  – does not normally require an emergency ambulance

An ambulance will always be sent to Category A and B calls but Category C calls will often be referred to NHS24 for advice and support as some do not require the skills of an emergency ambulance team.

What happens when I call the Patient Transport Service line?

Patients call the Patient Transport Service (PTS) booking line if they have a medical need for transport to their hospital appointment. When you call to request transport, the operator will take you through a series of confidential questions about your health and circumstances to establish that you have a medical need for transport. It is not a free service for anyone who has a hospital appointment, but is available to patients with medical need.

If you qualify for transport, the operator will confirm timings and arrangements for your ambulance transport to and from your hospital appointment.

If you do not have a medical need for transport, then the operator will refer you to information about alternative transport to hospital.

The PTS teams manage over 1 million journeys for patients across all of Scotland every year.

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Re-certified CR Plus with 3 Year Warranty – £649

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LifePak CR Plus AED (Fully Automatic) – Re-certified with 3 Year Warranty

If you are looking for an AED on a budget………..this is for you

Our re-certified AEDs have undergone rigorous testing by biomedical technicians, including heart rhythm analysis and delivery of shocks, to refurbish them to the manufacturers’ guidelines. The vast majority have never been deployed in a rescue and are so reliable that we can offer a full 3 year warranty and our Loan Scheme at no extra cost.  Deploying a reliable CR Plus AED has never been so affordable!

Featuring the same advanced technology trusted by emergency medical professionals—yet simple to use—the LIFEPAK CR Plus automated external defibrillator (AED) is designed specifically for the first person to respond to a victim of sudden cardiac arrest.

Key features include:

  • Visual and verbal prompts to guide the user through safe defibrillation
  • IP Rating X4
  • QUIK-PAK electrodes are pre-connected to save precious time in an emergency.
  • Suitable for use on Paediatric casualties when used with Paediatric Electrode Pads.
  • Readiness indicator clearly visible on the front of the unit.

Price includes:

  • Semi Automatic AED Unit
  • Free Carry Case
  • Brand new CHARGE-PAK Battery Stick
  • Brand new QUIK-PAK Adult Pads
  • Brand new rescue ready kit
  • Full 3 Year Warranty
  • Free Loan Scheme

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Cardiac Science Powerheart G5 AED

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G5 with case
Cardiac Science Powerheart G5 AED

Download the Brochure for the G5 Here

The Powerheart G5 is the first AED to combine real-time CPR feedback, fully automatic shock delivery, variable escalating energy and fast shock times. First time users are able to perform each critical step through the help of feedback via voice and text prompts, as well as real time instructions.

The Powerheart G5 has rescue ready technology, which self-checks all main AED components (battery, hardware, software and pads) daily, weekly and monthly. The G5 is smaller and lighter than previous Powerhearts, as well as having a dual language setting (you can have any 2 languages registered at one time).

  • The Powerheart® G5 is the first AED to combine real-time CPR feedback, fully automatic shock delivery, variable escalating energy, and fast shock times.
  • The powerful capabilities of the Powerheart G5 AED enable rescue professionals and lay responders to administer therapy in a timely and effective manner to give a victim of sudden cardiac arrest the best chance of survival.
  • Rugged and reliable, so it’s always on duty
  • Rugged, durable design for protection against rough treatment.
  • High ingress protection (IP55) against dust and water for performance in harsh and challenging environments.
  • Meets rigorous military standards for shock, vibration and drop testing.
  • Rescue Ready® technology self-checks all main AED components (battery, hardware, software, and pads) daily. The AED completes a partial charge of the high-voltage electronics weekly, and a full charge monthly.
  • The highly visible Rescue Ready indicator assures responders that they are retrieving a working AED.
  • 7-year AED warranty.
  • Medical-grade battery with a 4-year full operational guarantee.
  • Easy-to-use AED for responders at all levels
  • Real-time CPR feedback gives rescuers specific guidance on compression depth and rate as recommended by the 2010 Resuscitation Guidelines.
  • Fully automatic shock delivery eliminates user hesitation. (Semi-automatic AED version also available.)
  • Intuitive, interchangeable pad design simplifies placement.
  • RescueCoach™ user-paced prompts guide users through each critical step of a rescue.
  • Text prompts provide extra help in noisy and chaotic environments.
  • Switch to an alternate language during a rescue with the push of a button to help more potential responders (available in select languages).
  • Advanced patient care
  • Delivers post-CPR shock in as little as 10 seconds for effective therapy.
  • Assesses the patient’s therapy needs and delivers customised shock at an appropriate energy level.
  • Customisable prompts, protocols and CPR feedback to meet user’s needs and preferences.
  • Automatically detects paediatric pads and delivers a reduced energy shock.
  • Easily update settings if Resuscitation Guidelines change.
  • Quickly transfer and review data via USB.

 

Available for a limited time at the very special price of £865

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Physical assaults on ambulance staff in West Midlands up by 30%

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Physical assaults on ambulance staff in West Midlands up by 30%

 

Steve Elliker
WMAS regional security manager Steve Elliker called for tougher sentences to stop a rise in assaults on ambulance staff

An ambulance chief is calling for more support after physical assaults on staff rose by 30%.

The West Midlands Ambulance Service (WMAS) said attack numbers rose from 108 between April and September, 2014, to 139 this year.

Verbal assaults on ambulance workers also rose 13% to 246 reported incidents in the same period.

Assaults on emergency services staff included employees being kicked, punched and threatened with knives.

‘Outrageous’ violence

Ambulance trust chief executive Anthony Marsh said he is writing to magistrates calling for more deterrents to offending.

“It is quite outrageous that our staff are having to put up with such violence,” he said.

“We are asking them to support us by taking the toughest possible action against people who assault staff.

“We know the public abhor this violence so we are hopeful that they will support this move.”

Steve Elliker, regional security manager for WMAS, said magistrates needed to hand down the most severe sentences possible for assault to make ambulance staff feel protected.

“The fact that some of our staff do not report cases of violence because they do not believe that enough action will be taken against the perpetrator is a sad reflection on how they feel.”

The maximum sentence for common assault is six months’ imprisonment, while assault occasioning actual bodily harm or making threats to kill can incur prison sentences of up to five years and 10 years respectively

 

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FOI: Trust made to reveal £12.3m cost of using private ambulance firms

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FOI: Trust made to reveal £12.3m cost of using private ambulance firms

IN AUGUST this year, amid the growing NHS recruitment crisis, the Oxford Mail used an Freedom of Information request to reveal that Oxfordshire’s ambulance service had been forced to spend £12.3m in one year on private contractors to take patients to hospital.

Two months later, with the crisis ongoing, paramedics’ union Unison said the Oxford Mail’s story had helped focus attention on the problems.

South Central Ambulance Service, which also serves Bucks, Berks and Hants, had increased spending on private contractors – often for 999 cases – by nearly 50 per cent in comparison to the same period in 2013 and 2014.

The service said it hired six private providers – including St John Ambulance – to help meet an increasing demand on its services when it did not have enough staff.

Unison regional organiser Sarah O’Donoghue said: “This was useful: we knew private providers were being used but we didn’t know the scale of it. What this has done is focus attention on staff shortages in the ambulance service and the fact we are just not training enough people.

Crisis: Oxfordshire’s ambulance service was forced to spend millions on private firms

She said she had submitted a number of FOI requests herself to find out more about the NHS’ uses of private contractors.

But she said she was not aware that Unison as a whole was having a conversation about the potential changes to the Act.

She said: “Personally I do use it and I would say it is very useful.”

Our FOI also revealed that SCAS spent more on private companies than any other ambulance trust in the country.

Paramedic and SCAS Unison representative Gavin Bashford said FOI was a useful tool to bring about change.

He told the Oxford Mail: “We are still using lots of private providers, but I think this will make a difference in the long run, making the public aware of what is going on.”

He said he had not used the FOI Act himself, but had threatened to use it on SCAS several times – which had produced the desired effect.

He said: “That is always an option we have if management don’t answer our questions – it is a powerful tool.The proposed changes to the FOI Act concern me because we are a public service and the public have a right to know these things. Having an organisation which can operate in secret does not serve the public.”

In a statement the ambulance service said: “We recognise that Freedom of Information requests play a key role in offering our stakeholders insight and scrutiny into the services we provide.

“FOI requests give appropriate assurance of the high standard of care we provide and the work we carry out for our patients.”

 

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South East Coast Ambulance Service – Calling an Ambulance

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South East Coast Ambulance Service – Calling an Ambulance

 

The video is designed to be used with people with learning disabilities who want to learn more about calling an ambuance to provide information and generate discussion. It can also be used in training sessions for Ambulance Service staff about working with people with learning disabilities and may be helpful for other healthcare professionals.

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Welsh Ambulance Service thanks Gilfach Goch for CFR support

Welsh Ambulance Service thanks Gilfach Goch for CFR support

 

AT A recent training course for five newly-recruited Community First Responders (CFRs), the Welsh Ambulance Service presented a certificate of appreciation in grateful recognition of the support provided by Gilfach Goch Community Association and Taf Cluster Communities First for the work in training CFRs to help save lives in the local community.

Matt Robertson, Taf Cluster Communities First and Kate O’Sullivan, Manager of Gilfach Goch Community Association, received the certificate from Welsh Ambulance Service Chief Executive Tracy Myhill:

“Gilfach Goch is home territory for me”, said Tracy Myhill, “So it’s with great pride that I find myself presenting a certificate to people of my own community who have shown not only such tremendous support to the Welsh Ambulance Service, but by actively enabling the training of Community First Responders they have also shown their care and concern for their own community.”

The CFR training course was delivered by three trainers, Gilfach Goch resident and Welsh Ambulance Service Unscheduled Care Services (UCS) technician Mark Priddle, Neal Jones, Cynon Valley CFRs, and David Thomas, Welsh Ambulance Service Paramedic.

The building and its facilities are provided free of charge to the Welsh Ambulance Service specifically to train CFRs who will in turn provide life-saving support in the Gilfach Goch community.

Matt Robertson of Communities First commented: “We have a close relationship with the Welsh Ambulance Service and that’s been the case for many years now. It’s a two way thing really. By supporting the training of local CFRs we are also helping people in the surrounding communities and hopefully providing a chance of survival that, in the event of a cardiac arrest, some of them may not get otherwise.”

The Welsh Ambulance Service has over 160 CFRs in the Cwm Taf Health Board area, and over 2,000 across Wales as a whole.

 

 

 

UCS, Gilfach Goch resident and CFR Mark Priddle added: “The Welsh Ambulance is currently investing additional money into the Community First Responders programme across Wales and areas like Rhondda Cynon Taf will hopefully see the benefit from this investment.

“Being a Community First Responder requires some time and commitment, but the satisfaction of being able to perhaps save the life of a family member, friend, neighbour, colleague or stranger makes it all worthwhile.”

The Welsh Ambulance Service is currently looking for more recruits in the Gilfach Goch, Aberfan, Blaencwm, Cynon, Maerdy, Merthyr Tydfil, Pontyclun, Porth, Pontypridd, Tonypandy, Tonyrefail, Treharris, Troedyrhiw, Ynysybwl and Ynysowen areas.”

Community First Responders play an important role alongside frontline ambulance staff in making sure patients receive appropriate help quickly and efficiently, explained the Welsh Ambulance Services’ Cwm Taf Locality Manager Sally Gronow: “Community First Responders are very much part of the whole Welsh Ambulance Service family. They are a valuable support and I am personally proud to be associated with such dedicated life saving schemes in Wales.”

To become a First Responder you must be over 18 years of age, be physically fit and hold a clean UK driving licence. Applicants need to successfully complete over 30 hours of training, and will also need to undergo a Disclosure and Barring Service check and Occupational Health check before being registered to the scheme.

 

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Trainers in GP surgeries could tackle inactivity and mental health, experts say

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Trainers in GP surgeries could tackle inactivity and mental health, experts say

Every GP surgery should have access to personal trainers who can help patients improve their fitness and mental health, a report launched by Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson has proposed today (5 November).

This recommendation was the result of contributions from several health experts and charities, including former health minister Lord Darzi and leaders from the Royal College of GPs, the Royal Society for Public Health, Nuffield Trust, Mind and Age UK. It was formally published by not-for-profit organisation ukactive.

The report’s launch also accompanied a poll of MPs showing more concern about physical inactivity than smoking, alcohol abuse or sexually transmitted diseases.

Professor Mike Pringle, president of the Royal College of GPs, said: “GPs are experts in delivering patient-centred, holistic care, which includes promoting measures that could prevent serious illness in our patients and managing the care that our patients with these conditions receive.

“Some of the initiatives outlined by ukactive today will go a long way to raising awareness of the importance of physical activity – and support GPs and our teams to deliver services that could make a real difference to our patients’ lives.

“Encouraging patients to be more active is a key factor in ensuring a sustainable NHS for the future and general practice is at the heart of the NHS.”

Pringle also used the opportunity to request that the government invest more in GPs in general by upping the workforce in order to cope with current demand.

The baroness, chair of ukactive, said: “What we’ve set out, together with a coalition of health experts, is a plan for how we can build physical activity into everybody’s lives. Some of these steps will be easier than others, but the key point is that we need to take action on a number of fronts to tackle such an entrenched and serious problem.

“With precious public services like the NHS already stretched to a breaking point, we’ve got to be bolder about prevention – and that starts with getting people moving more.”

The report sought to tackle Britain’s inactivity level, a serious contributor to the NHS yearly bill, through a cross-agency initiative that would be just as relevant in primary care as it would in local transport services.

For example, Grey-Thompson also suggested that NHS England should appoint a ‘physical health tsar’ to lead new policies excluding “exercise on prescription” for those who would benefit from it.

But she also pitched a physical activity referral programme that could be launched by the Department for Work and Pensions to improve the health of the long-term unemployed.

Other recommendations included seeing care homes and councils introducing free or subsidised activity sessions for older people, low-interest loans helping small firms invest in physical activity schemes for staff, and a Cabinet Office-led physical activity strategy.

Previous research by ukactive showed that 29% of England is considered to be physically inactive, seriously increasing their risk of 20 grave conditions like heart disease, diabetes, hypertension, dementia and mental health problems. Managing these long-term conditions is responsible for eating up around 70% of the NHS annual budget.

But despite the suggested measures, the Department of Health announced just yesterday that public health budgets across the country – responsible for tackling exactly this – would see £200m worth of cuts during this financial year.